Travel restrictions to European union countries extended until June 15, 2020

KINGSTOWN, SAINT VINCENT AND THE GRENADINES, May 18, 2020 – The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Commerce wishes to inform the general public of extended temporary travel restrictions for non-essential travel of non-citizens and long term residents to the countries of the European Union until June 15, 2020.

On May 8, 2020, the European Commission invited the ‘EU+ area’, which includes all Schengen Member States (including Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, and Romania) and the 4 Schengen Associated States (Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland) to extend the temporary restrictions on non-essential travel to the EU for an additional 30 days, until 15 June.

The travel restriction does not apply to EU citizens, citizens of non-EU Schengen countries and their family members, and non-EU nationals who are long-term residents in the EU for the purpose of returning home. In addition, the European Commission recommended that Member States should not apply the restrictions to specific categories of travellers with an essential function or need. These include:
Essential staff – such as doctors, nurses, healthcare workers, researchers and experts helping to cope with the Coronavirus as well as persons carrying goods;
Frontier workers; and
Seasonal agricultural workers.

The links below share more information:

Communication on the second assessment of the application of the temporary restriction on non- essential travel to the EU, 8 May 2020
https://ec.europa.eu/info/sites/info/files/assessment-application-temporary-restriction-travel_en.pdf

Q&A for people travelling to and from the EU during the pandemic
https://ec.europa.eu/info/sites/info/files/faqs-communication-travel-restrictions-08042020_en.pdf

Communication on the temporary restriction on non-essential travel to the EU, 16 March 2020.
https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/ip_20_823

Should there be any further queries please contact the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Commerce at telephone number 456 2060.